Jan L. Whitesell

• Revived OpEx Academy, the City's peer-to-peer training program. Surveyed prospective students. Managed all logistics including finding potential instructors, scheduling classes, analyzing data, and uncovering gaps in the existing program.
• Executed a comprehensive assessment and extensive overhaul of the quality and completeness of the metadata in the Data Hub SQL database.
• Facilitated and enhanced access to detailed information regarding telecommunications expenses through increasing data automation and the development of Tableau dashboards.
• Created a Data Compendium, including completion and review of the Data Governance Manual, and an update of the Data Hub User's Guide, and the Data-Sharing Process.
• Assisted with managing, organizing, and completing the response to the 2021 Digital Cities Survey. We came in fourth, up two spots from 2020.
• Researched and updated the text of 59 Quality of Life Dashboard variables.

Summary

Held a senior level leadership position responsible for leading, managing, and delivering complex planning services focusing on policy and plan development, plan implementation, and collaboration with internal partners and external customers. Position required a broad range of management, business, and technical skills to be successful within a dynamic, growing organization. Role required the ability to think critically and creatively to solve problems.

Program Leadership

• Sought opportunities to turn ideas into action, inject creativity, and develop strategies to accomplish departmental goals.
• Developed, coordinated, and supervised GIS, data, analytics, technology, and research services.
• Supported Planning’s vision and ensured that technology practices were consistent with its mission.

Communication

• Cultivated a culture of openness in information sharing throughout the organization.
• Developed expertise in explaining complex, technical material and concepts in a simple, straightforward manner.
• Looked for common ground and promoted collaboration among staff at every level across the enterprise.

Process Improvement

• Identified system needs and designed processes to support business requirements by pursuing new methods, techniques, and tools.
• Implemented and led meetings, opening up dialog with other managers to discuss needed process improvements, potential technology enhancements, and technological innovations.
• Brought a fresh perspective to existing routines and processes by viewing innovation as an ongoing responsibility.

Budget, Contract, and Vendor Management

• Experienced in contract monitoring and vendor management, recently including Accela, Esri, Camiros, Todd Noell Consulting, Public Input, etc.
• Administered the departmental technology budget and assisted with the Long Range & Strategic Planning Division budget and tracked expenses.

Staff Development & Mentoring

• Supervised, evaluated, and developed six GIS, Analytics, and Technology staff and one intern.
• Viewed all team members as leaders and innovators by encouraging them to be inventive and take appropriate risks,
• Set others up for success and to reach their personal best and stand out among their peers.

Accomplishments

• Supervised team of 6 staff members.
• More than 18 years of supervisory experience.
• Completed mapping, data-gathering, and data analysis on 36 Area and Policy Plans including Centers, Corridors, and Wedges, General Development Policies, Lynx Blue Line Transit Plans, and the I-485 Interchange Analysis.
• Facilitated more than 20 significant technology enhancements to the Land Development process from 2016-2019 including: releasing zoning holds, online sign permitting, zoning use changes, and customary home occupations, and online scheduling for sign inspections.
• Saved more than $40,000 per year, beginning in 2016, in printing costs by providing soft copies of the monthly rezoning notebook and other related documents instead of hard copies.
• Saved more than $18,000 per year, beginning in 2017, in computer hardware and software costs by providing ruggedized laptops to field staff.
• Provided a consistently outstanding level of service to all Planning staff despite the number of staff members nearly doubling in two years. There was no increase in the number of technical staff to offset this extraordinary rise in demand.
• Led the 2000, 2010, and 2020 Local Update of Census Address projects. In 2020, the team checked more 360,000 addresses, added more than 22,000 new addresses, and deleted more than 1,200 obsolete addresses. These additional addresses will bring more than $132 billion dollars in additional federal funding for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
• Developed an objective, comprehensive methodology to determine where, what type of, and level of resources future area plans should be done. The variables included measures of development pressure, environmental features, infrastructure factors, socio-economic characteristics, and land use elements from a wide array of data sources.

• Coordinated the conversion from a manual tax-mapping process to an automated, GIS-based process for the Mecklenburg County Tax Office.
• Developed and implemented a plan for testing the Parcel Management System (PMS) application, written by Mecklenburg County GIS staff.
• Created and put into practice a training program and materials to enable the existing tax-mapping staff to use the Parcel Management System (PMS).
• Provided technical recommendations and support documentation to aid in GIS process improvement.
• Used Geographic Information Systems technology and equipment to produce detailed maps.
• Trained eight Tax Office staff on basic GIS concepts and the use of the new system.

• Responsible for the data acquisition, data analysis, map and graphics generation, and preparation of the narrative of the HUD-mandated Consolidated Plan for the Gastonia/Gaston County Consortium
• Introduced the preliminary findings at several public meetings and gave a presentation of the final document to the Gastonia City Council
• Coordinated meetings and workshops with citizens and several service provider agencies throughout Gaston County
• Completed an analysis and report on the level of compliance of housing providers in Gaston County to the Federal Fair Housing Act.
• Prepared, maintained and updated files, Census data and statistics.